FLIGHT International, 3 January 1981 13
The high-wing fabric-covered taildragger concept still appeals to homebuilders. The K-Meyer Aero
Model A is now being marketed in kit form with a 100 h.p. Continental. K-Meyer Aero is at 45105,
244th Avenue South, Enumdaw, Washington 98022, USA
Private
Official organ of the Royal Aero Club
Keeping the Airtourers flying
A NEWLY formed co-operative, con
sisting mainly of Airtourer owners in
Australia and New Zealand, had just
bought the complete stock of Air-
tourer parts, jigs and tooling from
New Zealand Aerospace Industries.
They are being shipped back to
Australia, the Airtourer's country of
origin and negotiations are under way
between the Airtourer Co-operative and
an unnamed aircraft manufacturer for
the production and supply of parts to
maintain some 130 aircraft still flying
around the world. Ninety-four of these
are in Australia and 23 in the UK.
New Zealand Aerospace retains its
interest in the Airtourer's military
counterpart, the CT-4 Airtrainer.
The first newly produced parts
should be available early in 1981, and
any Airtourer owners with an impend
ing spares problem should contact the
Honorary Secretary, Airtourer Asso
ciation, PO Box 1814, Darwin 5794,
Australia.
There are no plans at present to put
the aircraft back into production.
Speed Canard airborne
THE Gyroflug Speed Canard, a
development of the Rutan VariEze
homebuilt and designed as a produc
tion aircraft, is now flying in
Germany. VariEze designer Burt
Rutan is not involved in the project,
which uses a new wing designed by
Prof Eppler, an electrically retractable
nosewheel, bigger canopy and fuel
tanks, and constant-speed propeller.
The prototype has been built by sail
plane manufacturer Glaser-Dirks, and
Gyroflug plans to build production air
craft for about £20,000. The Speed
Canard is aerobatic, and performance
claims include a cruise of over 200
m.p.h., climb rate approaching 1,400ft/
min and 1,500 miles range. Seen in
public at the 1980 Hanover Show, the
aircraft was pictured in our June 21
issue. Gyroflug is at Ereihofstrasse 37,
7000 Stuttgart 40, West Germany.
Is that strip long enough?
Safety
SENSE
A RECENT CAA General Aviation
Safety Information leaflet details an
accident to a Cessna 150 taking-off
from a private strip that highlights
several points about aircraft perform
ance, field length and short take-off
technique.
The strip was 330m long and a few
feet above sea level with short grass
on firm ground. After an uneventful
landing the aircraft was taxied to one
end and 10° of flap selected in readi
ness for take-off. Despite rotation at
normal speed the wheels struck the
stone boundary wall and the aircraft
Herefordshire-based Shobdon Aviation has carried
from a kit and drawings designed by Ralph Bo/en In
Springfield, Ohio). Materials and drawings cost $2.
do the job for o total of about £2,165
out this UK tailwheel conversion of a Cessna ISO
c (Springfield Municipal Airport, 1251 Rlee Road,
,565 and Shobdon Aviation (Kingsland 723/4) con
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nosed over on to its back in the next
field. The wind was light and variable,
the temperature 15°C and weight
some 381b below maximum. Both
pilots were well-experienced on type.
According to the Flight Manual,
the ground roll for these conditions
in zero wind is 258m, assuming level
ground and use of the correct short
field technique. Even with a 4kt tail-
wind the distance is 312m, so there
should still be room to clear a 4ft high
stone wall.
These performance figures are
based on a short field or normal tech
nique with flaps up. But the manual
does state that use of 10° flap will
shorten the ground run by about ten
per cent, but this advantage is lost in
the climb to 50ft. "Therefore, the use
of 10° flap is reserved for minimum
ground runs or for take-off from soft
or rough fields with no obstacles
ahead. If 10° flaps are used in ground
runs, it is preferable to leave them
extended rather than retract them in
the climb to the obstacle."
The CAA points out these figures
were almost certainly obtained with a
low-time aircraft and engine, flown by
a professional test pilot. This aircraft
had flown nearly 2,000hr. For UK
Public Transport operations these
gross figures would have to be fac
tored by 1 • 33, which takes into ac
count a used engine, dirty wings,
nicked propeller and variations from
the best techniques.
Best advice is to apply the 1 - 33
factor to all flight manual perform
ance data of this kind for light air
craft. The exact take-off technique
depends on the aircraft type, but
generally speaking the use of flap
is only beneficial in shortening the
ground roll for a soft field take-off.